bee wise to discerne betwixt true doctrine and errours and we should haue our wits exercised to iudge betwixt good and euill and when we see the difference betweene them being both obiected to vs we should wisely elect the good and reiect the bad CHAP. 24. The people ought to imitate the godly vertues of their Ministers THirdly honour is exhibited to Gods Ministers by imitating their Christian vertues which doe shine within them as the Lampes did in the Tabernacle and do as the candle out of the lant-horne giue light to those that loue the light It is one way whereby we honour those that are departed in the faith when we resemble them in those heauenly graces which like the starres of heauen did shine within them while they were aliue And indeed we do performe an act of honour vnto any man when we striue to imitate his good conditions and to walke exactly in his foot-steps This honour the holy Ghost giueth to all godly Ministers when he exhorteth vs saying Remember thē that haue the ouersight ouer you which haue declared vnto you the word of God whose faith follow And Saint Paul claimeth it of the Corinthians where he saith Be ye followers of me euen as I am of Christ Ministers ought to make themselues Ensamples for vs to follow and when they do so we shall both dishonour them and displease the Lord if we do not labour to be like them Their good examples should be as spurres in our sides to make vs run more liuely in our Christian race and they should be as sauce to make vs affect and digest our meate the better And if we will not study to resemble them we shall both manifest a peruerse and illiberall disposition and make our selues the more vnexcusable when God shall iudge vs. Therefore as the Painter doth draw an image in his head first and then with his hand according to the patterne set before him and conceiued in his mind so should we set the vertues of godly Ministers before our eyes as patternes for to follow and hauing conceiued and entertained them in our heades and hearts wee should expresse them in our liues by the actions of our hands and in the continuall current of our conuersations And so shall we commend our selues without one word of commendation so shall we honour and animate them so shall we dignifie our profession and glorifie him that ordained all things for his glory CHAP 25. Men should wisely conceale the infirmities of their Ministers and not blaze them abroade FOurthly Ministers are honored when their infirmities are not published in Gath to their dishonour but buried by loue in the graue of silence and obliuion In many things saith Iames we sinne all The purest gold hath some drosse within it Nulla facies sine ruga The fairest face is not without a wrinckle a mole or freckle The clearest glasse is subiect vnto soyling There is no soule without some sinne no man without a fault And therefore as we ought to beare with one another and patiently pardon all slips of weaknesse for loue couereth a multitude of trespasses so especially ought we to conceale forgiue the infirmities of Ministers in their words workes and gestures And so we shall shew our selues the children of wisedome the followers of peace and amity true louers of God and his children faithfull and good schollers and vnlike many wretches that are euen heart-merry when they can spy a moate in a Misters eye or an hole in his coate at which they may mocke and iest vngodly Chams that discouer and sport at their fathers nakednesse CHAP. 26. Ministers are to be countenanced and maintained FIftly men do honor the Ministers of Christ when they countenance them and take part with them against their malitious and wicked enemies and when they labour to defend their credits and good name against all their back-biters traducers and maligners and are not ashamed to acknowledge and assist them notwithstanding the greatnesse or the multitude of their vngodly aduersaries which set themselues against God all goodnes And this all men ought to do for their Ministers euer remembring that they passe not the precincts of their calling and be not transported with a preposterous zeale and a vaine conceit of enmity and hostile persecution when there is no such matter that so they may confirme their loue vnto them which they do in shew professe and encourage thē to go on constantly in their ministery that they may be faithfull in Gods house as Moses was and finally that they may manifest their zeale to God house and their loue of his worship and might shew themselues enemies to the Diuell and his wicked Instruments which coniure and band themselues against Christ and his kingdome Sixtly honour and true loue the scaturidge thereof is shewed to godly Ministers when their estates in respect of their places persons and dependants are well maintained They are the Chariots Horse-men of Israel therefore are they worthy to be maintained They are the Lords warriours and standard-bearers They fight for the Church they bestow themselues vpon the Church therefore it is very fit that the Church should keepe them It is a thing honest and acceptable before God for children to recompence their fathers and progenitors Ministers are our spiritual fathers In Christ Iesus saith Paul I haue begotten you to God through the Gospell In which respect we owe euen our selues vnto them as Paul sheweth in a speach to Philemon his spirituall sonne How much more then owe we them our worldly pelfe to maintaine relieue them Haue they by their ministery procured our spirituall life and shall not we prouide for their naturall life Religion right and reason claime it and require it of vs. The Lord hath ordained that they which preach the Gospel should liue of the Gospell They which wait at the altar are partakers with the Altar they which minister about holy things eate of the things of the Temple The Labourer is worthy of his wages The workman is worthy of his meate The Oxes mouth that treadeth out the corne must not be muzled He that planteth a Vine-yard is worthy to eate of the grapes he that keepeth the Vine may drinke of the wine and he that keepeth the stock may drinke of the milke Beware saith God that thou forsake not the Leuite so long as thou shalt liue on the earth Much lesse then are the Ministers of the Gospell to be forsaken For their ministery is farre more excellent Let him saith Paul that is taught in the word make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods It is a precept and not a bare permission If they haue sowne to vs spirituall things is it a great matter if they reape our carnall things If they bring vs to the pleasures of heauen is it much for vs to bring them of
them in some slead but they vse to reade by snatches here and there euery where and no where like the Dogges of Nilus that dranke running taking here and there a lap as they went Or if they reade without skipping it is then with such fury like Iehues marching as that they swallow downe their bookes without chewing and so let their good digesting The fourth are they that preferre the shell before the kernel and the dish before the meat regarding the sound rather then the sence the outward shape of the worke more then the inward substance as if a man should delight more in the colour then in the corps and not much vnlike to children that turne ouer their bookes but please themselues best with the painted Babies in them A fift kind there are that reade much but practise nothing as if a man should take meat into his mouth to please his tast but let none goe downe into his stomack to comfort nature Or if they do practise any thing it is worse then nothing base and sinfull like a filthy Chanell that receiues the sweet light and heate of the Sunne but affoords nothing but stinking fumes and infectious smels The sixt are they that had rather reade naturall or humane and ciuill histories and treatises of arts and sciences liberall and mechanicall then Ecclesiasticall and diuine discourses it seemes esteeming more of the Maide then of the Mistris of humanity more then of diuinity of the body more then of the soule like Aesops Cocke that set more by a barly corne theÌ„ by all the gemmes and iewels in the world besides The seauenth are they which reade to talke and talke to shew themselues and yet we know that empty barrels and the hollow Drums do make the greatest sounds as if they read for nothing but to know to talke and that by talking they might be knowne regarding more it seemes the floating knowledge of the braine then the soundnesse of the heart and life and affecting rather to seeme to be then to be indeed vsually dealing with their bookes as ful-fed children do with their bread which either play with it or cast it to the Dogges So all their religion is placed in their tong and their substance is but shews and shadowes like that counterfait of Samuel and stuft vp with wind like a bladder Though they deuoure whole bookes yet are they like Pharoahs kine as ill fauoured and as leane lank for true grace as by their liues appeareth as they were before and worse theÌ„ many of the heathen which neuer truly knew what Christian vertue meant There are others that reade much and profit nothing but cast vp their morsels like a crazy stomack They come to the well without their pitchers or else with riuen vessels having their thoughts distracted and â—heir head fraught with impertinent studies like Table-bookes which â—eing written ful already wil receiue â—o new letters till the old be razed â—ut in whole or in part Or else it is because they run on and neither looke backe nor minde their way but onely labour to ridde ground nor â—hew their cadde nor call on God for â—is benigne assistance which of all â—en ought in all holy enterprises to be desired with earnest suite vpon the â—â—nces of their soules The ninth which are the onely good are they that reade attentiuely throughly and discreetly to reap some good whereby they may do good to themselues and other also as occasion their calling serueth and to these I do propose this booke If thou wouldest behold the office of Gods WorkmeÌ„ the honour which of duty ought to be performed to them if thou wouldest know the resemblance betwixt the Church and a Field House if thou wouldest see the office and honour of all her children or wouldest learne how thou maist be rich in the fruits of righteousnesse how to giue the Lord such entertainement as is well pleasing to â—im thou maist if it pleâ—se thee to reade reuolue and ponder these few instructions which were summarily not long since deliuered to a few by word and now more largely published to the common view of all by writing VVherein I do professe plaine dealing and the profit of the simplest rather then obscure and curious exactnesse euer iudging it better to walke in the open aire then to run inuisibly in the clouds to leaue some milke in the brests then to sucke them dry or presse them till they bleed The God of heauen and earth make them profitable to thâ—e that walking by theÌ„ in this vale of misery through the wildernesse of this wofull world thou maist one day come and that in season into celestiall Canaan the Land of promise and rest vpon his holy mountaine Amen Amen Thine in Christ THOMAS TVKE 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ambrosij Fisheri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—allere narramus Colubris seruare Ministrum Autorum laâ—inus nâ—mpe minister agit Findicat Aegypto Moses dat clara Mehushtan Iumina sic animaâ— Iordanis vnda lauat â—nsifâ—r ipse serit rigat facundus Apollo Quemlibet imbri-â—oten sruge maritet agrum Neâ— vult angâ—licis molem sibi surgere templi Malleolis vafer hanc condit Iesse satus Ambrosius Fisher GODS HOVSE And Husbandry 1. Cor 3.9 For we together are Gods Laborers ye are Gods Husbandry ye are Gods Building CHAP. 1. The drift of the Apostle is declared Gods mercy is exemplified We must neither presume nor despaire Our iudgement concerning sinners must be very sparing THE Apostle hauing reprehended the foolish and factious estimation of Ministers a disease dangerous and not dead hee doth in this verse shew what they are how they are to bee estemed to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as labor with God for God and vnder God in the tilling and husbanding of his Ground in the planting and dressing of his â—ineyard and in the building repairing of his House or Temple And hauing briefly dispatâ—hed this he doth also briefly shew what those Christians are which be not of the Ministery and what they are to be reputed to wit the Field and House of God And thus he hath shewed himselfe a faithfull Shepheard and an honest Surgeon Hee doth not onely seeke to preserue his Sheep from danger but hee brings them into their walke and pasture He doth not only let his Patients see their soare but he giues them a salue He doth not only taxe their fault but he doth also teach theÌ„ their duty Thus we see the meaning of the text in generall it remaineth now to discusse it in the particulers and first we will treat of the office and honor of Ministers conteined in the former words We together are Gods Labourers And afterwards of the duty and dignity of the people inclosed in the words ensuing Yee are Gods
speake of the perfection of sanctification or of inherent holinesse we must needes confesse that we are not perfect but that we arise like a house by degrees and do grow till we be compleat Which shall not be till death which endeth the battell betwixt the flesh and the spirit vtterly consuming all the corruptions of our corrupted nature Againe as fields are subiect to be annoyed and wasted and as there is no field without some hurtfull or improfitable thing in it as stones weeds and such like so Gods field is subiect to be wasted and infested Therefore the Psalmist saith that the wicked smite downe Gods people and trouble his heritage And Saul before his conuersion is sayed to waste the Church of God And there is in ouâ— hearts that are her children many sinnes which are not as yet exiâ—eâ— being noysome vnto vs as weede and stones are to a corne field And againe as there is no house that is not obnoxious to some danger either by violence of fire or by the inundatiâ—n of waters or through inflammation by lightning or else by reason of impetuous windes stormy tempests besides the subiection wherein it is of it selfe to fall to ruine being composed of things that are corruptible Euen so Gods Church on earth is subiect in herselfe being black with sinne and vnmundified here in part to ruines and rotten errours both mentall and morall Besides shee is subiect to many perils from without Sathan with his instruments play their parts against her continually Sometimes hee sallies vpon her by force like a Lion raising vp cruell tyrants to persecute vex her Sometimes he sets vpon her by fraud like a Leopard approching to her either with his Syrenian songs or with his Crocodilian teares or with a treacherous kisse as Iudas did vnto his Maister assaulting her with the subtill and sophisticall inuentions engines of Heretikes and attempting to violate her chastity by the pleasing allurements and witching enchantments of the world who with her whorish eye and two naked painted breasts of pleasures and profits doth seeke to inueigle our hearts and make vs yeeld vnto her Thus Sathan meetes her vpon the stage of this world and enters combat with her vsing all meanes to preuaile against her sometimes pursuing her with the flouds of persecution sometimes kindling in her the coales of contention sometimes seeking to ouercome her with secret machinations and with faire speeches fraudulent perswasions and somtimes also striuing to daunt her with the dreadfull menacies of the great men of the world and neuer ceaseth practising against her but all in vaine For the gates of hell saith Christ euen sathan and all his strength and stratagems shall not preuaile against her to vanquish and subdue her Finally some things may be in a field which are not of the field as toades frogges and such like a wolfe may bee in the same field and fold wherein a company of sheepe are the enemy with his â—ares may be in a field as well as the right owner of it and his good seed and good sets Euen so if we regard the visible and externall face of the Church prophane persoÌ„s very reprobats may be in her albeit they be not of her They are but as frogges toades nettles bryars and crowes in a corne-field or as Wolues and Foxes and madde dogges in a fold or flocke of sheepe or else as stones and weeds which trouble and hinder the good corne And againe as in a field we see sets hearbs and seeds oftentimes brought into a field set sown in it which do not naturally come vp of themselues in it euen so God doth set the plants of his Spirit and sow the seeds of his sanctifying graces in our hearts which otherwise would neuer spring vp within vs of themselues and by the vertue of our nature And as euery field stands in neede of dressing and keeping and requires wholesome aire sweete shewers and the comfortable heate of the Sunne Euen so the Church stands in need of husbanding she hath neede of the heauenly dewe of Gods graces and of the sweet light and heate of the Sunne of righteousnesse and that the Northerne and Southerne windes of Gods Spirit should blow vpon her that her spices and her fruits might flow out and come forth abundantly In like manner also as euery house stands in need of some shilter and reparation so doth Gods house For we lye open to wind and water and haue the ruines of our depraued nature still remaining in vs. And as the Housholder brings many thing into his house which he finds not in it euen so the Lord inspireth many good things into our hearts which he finds not in vs and which we want by nature And as some things may be in the house which are not of the house as rats mise weasils yea and treacherous and theeuish persons Euen so if wee consider the outward appearance and name of the Church which is Gods house some may be in it which belong not to it and are not truly of it Therefore Iohn saith they went out of vs but they were not of vs. Antichrist that man of sinne and sonne of perdition sits in the Temple of God but not as a member of it but as a cruell and proud Tyrant tyrannizing in it as a Theefe in a true mans house as a Pyrate in a Merchants ship or as a Wolfe and Fox in a sheepfold And in a word as some things may be brought into a field and planted in it which as yet are not as some may be brought into an house and made seruants in it which for the present are not euen so some may be brought into Gods Church which is his pleasant field and the palace of his pleasure and may bee made her true members and faithful houshold-seruants which as yet wander abroad and are not effectually called home And thus wee see the resemblance that is betwixt a field or house and the Church of God Now she is called Gods Husbandry and Gods building because hee hath taken her to himselfe and inclosed her hee doth husband and order her he doth build and repaire her he doth possesse keepe her and because he doth inhabite and worke within her And albeit she may be fitly compared to a field and house in the forenamed respects yet in other regards she is vnlike vnto them For God is her only Lord owner for his honour only he hath ordained her And whereas houses and fields are bought with money she was purchased neither by gold nor siluer but by the bloud of God euen by the precious heart-bloud of that immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus who is true God true Man in one perfect person Thirdly all houses and fields are subiect to vtter and finall desolation And the day shall come wherein the earth and all the workes therein shall be consumed with fire But
by Yea they may perswade themselues so thereof as that they may coÌ„ceiue a kind of ioy therefore in their hearts and yet for all they are deceiued Some that haue suddenly fallen into a swoone haue imagined that they saw goodly sights and many frantick persons will sing and hallo as if they were in a very good condition whereas indeed their case is pittifull Euen so some of the Reprobate may fall into such a fit of spirituall swoone and phantastick phrensie of the mind as that they may both think better of their estates then they are indeed and reioyce also within themselues as if they were right good men and happy being neuerthelesse in truth the very Refuse of mankind the Obiects of Gods wrath and as it were the Center of his iudgements Yea further they may so carry themselues outwardly as that they may seeme vnto men that doe not see the heart the true meÌ„bers of the Church and as plants in Gods fiâ—ld But blazing starres are not true starres but fading meteores a foot of wood is not a foot indeed and painted fire is not fire Euen so what shew soeuer they make yet are they not indeede her members they are not GODS plants indeed They may be in Gods house but they are not of Gods house they may be in his field but they are not of his field Goates and sheepe may be together in one fold though they be not of one flocke Cockle good come may bee in one Barne Theeues and True men may be in one field strangers and seruants guests and children in one house And all is not that which it seemes to be All is not grasse that looketh greene nor all bloud that is red Sathan can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light all is not gold that glisters hypocrites may seeme religious and men of woluish dispositions can for need walke like sheepe in sheepe-skins When the great Gold-smith shal come to try them with his Touch-stone hee will finde them copper and not good gold When the windes shall blow hard against them when the flouds shall come and dash against them they shall fall flatte downe to the ground because they are not as liuing stones founded vpon the rock Christ but weakly built vpon a weake and sandy foundation And a day will come when the Husbandman will view his field and will separate the corne of his owne sowing and carry it home into his barne from the tares of the enemy how faire and fresh soeuer they seeme to be and will binde them in a bundle and cast them into the fire Now this prerogatiue is not meerly titâ—lar and veâ—ball but very commodious comfortable and excellent For Christ dwelleth in this field the Spirit of God dwelleth in this house and they that dwell therein shal haue their iniquity forgiuen And whosoeuer are of this house of this field shall continue so for euer For the couenant of God made with them is euerlasting The gifts and the calling of God are giuen without repentance and he wil preserue and guard them by his power through faith vnto saluation And their mother also which is the Church shall alwaies be the palace and paradise of his delight He will carry her vpon his backe like an Eagle he will shadow her with the wings of his grace and will continue constant in his loue for euer For his loue vnto her is euerlasting and his mercy endureth for euer Secondly seeing the Church is Gods House and Husbandry shee must acknowledge no Lord no Head no King but God Her obedience her homage her loyalty her virginity belongs to him as to her soueraigne Lord and onely absolute Husband She is not her owne therefore shee must glorifie God to whom of right she doth pertaine Thirdly Ministers ought to be the more diligent faithfull and alacrious in the execution of their function For the labour which they take and the paines they do bestow are bestowed vpon Gods House vpon Gods plowed-field They labour not in mens fields not in the house of men but in the house and field of almighty God who is able to recompence the faithfull and to punish the vnfaithfull therefore they should be the more carefull circumspect laborious in their calling taking heed what seede they sow what plants they set and both what and how they build Fourthly seeing the Church of God is his field house we ought all to labour to be assured that we are of it For out of it there is no saluation And when we are in it we must keep our selues in it and not straggle out and leaue it Men take grear delight to dwell in faire houses and to walke in pleasant fields The Church of God is a goodly house and a pleasant and greene field My welbeloued behold thou art faire and pleasant also our bed is greene the beames of our house are cedars Christ delighteth and dwelleth in her Let vs therefore like her and loue to liue within her They that leaue her leaue him For he is her Husband and Inhabitant therefore she cals him her Welbeloved and he cals her his Spouse My spouse is a garden inclosed And she crying out vnto him saith thus O thou that dwellest in the gardens O fountain of the gardens O well of liuing waters So then he which forsakes her forsakes him He which leaues her leaues his garden and he which leaues him leaues her fountaine euen the welspring of her life and the scaturidge of all true comfort Let vs therfore keepe our selues within the borders of the Church lest we walke in the valley of death We must needes be either in Gods Temple or in the diuels Synagogue either in Gods field or in the diuels field And whensoeuer wee see the face of a true Church in any place let vs take heed that we do rend not our selus froÌ„ her and leape out For this were so much as lay in vs to runne out of Gods field and to runne away from Christ who frequenteth the flockes of his sheep and delighteth to be in the assemblies of his people Let vs therefore be wise and not forsake the fellowship or aggregation that we haue among our selues as the manner of some is but let vs exhort one another that so much the more because ye see that the day of Christs second coming draweth neare Iude makes it a property of those that were fleshly had not the Spirit what shew soeuer they made to be makers of sects men of a schismaticall and contradictorious spirit that like not the beaten way but loue to walke in a way by themselues though it be full of mud and mire Considering also that the Church is Gods house husbandry it were a worke beseeming the honour of Princes and all Potentates in all their territories and dominions to defend and foster her that so they may
of the Prophets is not regarded the raine of their exhortations runs by vs and is not receiued And although we be continually dressed daily pruned by the word of God as by a sprittle or pruning knife yet are we full of superfluous branches our fruit is rotten sowre vnwholesome vnpleasant What may we now expect of God if he shall deale with vs as we haue dealt with him but that he should pull downe his hedge breake downe his wal and lay this vineyard waste and bestow his paines vpon a people that will bring forth better fruites Let vs therefore repent before it bee too late let vs labour against our barrennesse vnto good against our vnfruitfull fruitfulnesse in that which is euill Shall we labour that our soile may be good and fertile and shall we with patience see our soules sterile vnfruitfull Can we not endure our gardens to be ouergrowne with weedes and shall we suffer our heartes to be defaced with sin which is more stinking and infestant then any weed is or can be Shall we desire God to giue vs the first and the latter raine to water our grounds and shall we not pray him also to water the dry ground of our hearts with the sweet shewers of his graces and to moisten and soke vs with the water of his Spirit Shal we desire God to shew kindnesse vnto vs in giuing vs the timely fruites of the yeare and shall we be vnkind vnto him in keeping froÌ„ him the timely fruits of our hearts Do we dislike slerility in our groundes barrennesse in our sheep and kine shall we not as wel dislike the barrennesse of our hearts and the spirituall sterility of our soules If we would shew our selues to be indeed the field of God and would not shame his husbandmen let vs striue against our barrennesse let vs lay aside all the vnfruitfull works of darkenesse and let vs labour to bring forth fruits in aboundance beseeming repentance and those that professe themselues to be the field of the liuing God And thus much for the first title CHAP. 5. We ought to trim vp our selues We may be sure that God will keepe house within vs. THE vses which we ought to make of the consideration of the second title are especially two First considering that we are Gods house we are taught so to dresse vp our selues as that we may be pleasing to him and not offensiue To this end we must remoue those things which are displeasing and deck our selues with such things as he doth delight in We must therfore tune the disordered strings of our sinfull soules labour for a sweet concent in all our affections that they may be iointly fixed vpon good and not on euill that there may be as liâ—tle discord iarring in theÌ„ as is possible whiles we continue in these houses of clay We must yet proceed a little further labouring with all our power to cleanse our soules bodies of all filthinesse of sin We must kill the spiders of a poisonfull and rancorous spirit We must brush downe the cobwebs of proud and haughty imaginations which are mounted vp into the turrets of the head and cleaue as it were to the seeling of the braine We must by true repentance sweep out of our hearts the dust of wickednesse as couetousnesse worldly cares and such like and cleanse out all vncleanenesse of fornication and fleshly desires We must let out the smoake of iniquity and purge our selues of al our sins by true remorse by godly sorrow and vnfeigned mortification O Ierusalem wash thine heart from wickednesse that thou maist be saued How long shall thy wicked thoughts remaine within thee Wash you make you cleane saith the Lord take away the euill of your works from before mine eyes We must not make our selues who are Gods house to be the dennes of sins which like Theeues rob him of that honour which is due vnto him Therfore as good Iosiah tooke away all the abominations out of all his countries so let vs by true repentance remoue al our sins which are al abominable out of all the corners of our hearts And as the Priests and Leuits cleansed all the House of God and brought out all the vncleanenesse threw it into Kidron so let vs which are spirituall Priests in Gods spirituall Temple cleanse the houses of our hearts of all vncleanenesse of our sins and condemne and cast them into the pit of hell that sulphirie lake from whence they came that so the workes of the diuell being dissolued himselfe eiected he may be past all hope of future entrance and recouery of his former hold that howsoeuer he may looke in at the doore or peep in at the window by his tentations and dart in a wicked thought yet he may find no roome swept vp and furnished for him to rest in and make his mansion Neither is it sufficient for vs to clense our selues of that which doth defile vs but we must also decke and adorne our selues with those things which are neat and comly We should therfore strew our hearts with the fresh flowers of Gods graces We should decke our selues inwardly with the lowlinesse of mind We should hang our soules with the rich arras and costly tapestry of holinesse innocency and sinceritie We should perfume our hearts with coales of Iuniper and with the frankincense of Gods Spirit We should set open our windowes that the blessed Sunne of righteousnesse may shine into vs to warme and enlighten vs. We should set open the gates of our hearts that the king of glory may come in And finally we should present our selues vnto him as a liuing and holy sacrifice We should prepare the banquet of an honest heart and a good conscience for him And we should giue him the best entertainement that we are able in all respect And so doing we shall be pleasing to him and shall reape exceeding comfort to our selues And therfore al those are to be reproued which professe themselues to be the houses of the liuing God and yet wallow in their sins as hogges in the mire are full of the dust of wickednesse giuing themselues ouer to ignoraÌ„ce profanenes worldlinesse drunkennes epicurisme all vncleanenes These are not the Temples of the Spirit but the tents of the diuell These are not the houses of God but the tabernacles of wickednesse the sinks of sin the cabbins of vncleane spirits hauing not onely the fire of sin within them but beeing indeed also compassed about with the flames thereof on euery side And let them in time take heed and come forth For sin is a fire that burneth to destruction It worketh both a confusion in the soule the confusion of the soule The wages thereof is the eternall death both of soule and body Rom. 6 23. Secondly seeing we are GODS house we may assure our selues that he will reside and dwell
within vs. The Lord will be in his temple for euer Now what a singular comfort should this be to vs alway in that we haue the great God of heauen and earth residing in vs What an honour is it to vs that the king of kings should keepe his court continually in vs Let vs be thankfull to him for this fauour Be not like the thanklesse swine that swallowes downe the fruit but lookes not to the treee from whence it fell And so much for the first doctrine CHAP. 6. Men may be Gods House Husbandry though they be not so holy as is meet Doct. 2 SEcondly in that the Apostle cals the Corinthians who were factious fleshly litigious and somthing too disorderly Gods field building I cōclude that mē professing Christ as they did must not for some enormities be by by reputed abiects or men that are not in grace with God or as men that are fallen from God and cut off from Christ Dauid Salomon Hezekiah and Peter sinned grieuously but yet they were neuer wholly forsaken of God nor voyde of true grace though for a time it was cast as it were into a swoone and lay obscure as fire in ashes or as the act of reason in a man that is starke drunke or fast asleepe Though thou fauour of the smoake of sin and be vp to the wayst in iniquitie yet if thou labor to come forth and dost purge thy selfe by penitency thy case is not desperate it is not damnable If thou beest weake and fleshly as these Corinthiant were yet if thou wilt warre with thy flesh and contend against thy weaknesse if thou doest labour constantly to subdue thy lusts and doest truly repent of thy sinne so soone as thou dost espie it then despaire not but assure thy selfe that thou art in Gods fauour and that thou art one of his plants a liuing stone of his spirituall building and enioying his fauor in this life thou shalt also see his face to the solace of thy soule in the life to come Amen Morning prayer for the Family O Eternal Lord God who art great and fearefull and shewest mercy to them that loue thee and keep thy commandements we haue committed iniquity and haue done wickedly before thine eyes we haue rebelled against thy Maiesty haue transgressed against thy lawes we haue bin vnmindful of thy mercies do continually sin against thee so that to vs appertaineth open shame and confusion of face for euer yet compassion and forgiuenes is in thee there is mercy with thee that thou maist be feared Haue mercy therfore vpon vs we humbly pray thee and according to the multitude of thy compassions put away our transgressions Encline thine eare O Lord and heare Looke vpon vs in thy Sonne Christ Iesus and in him be reconciled to vs. Giue vs the feeling of thy grace and an assurance of thy princely pardon Put thy Spirit into our hearts wee beseech thee and cause vs to walke in thy waies Breake our marble hearts asunder take away their stoninesse and mollify them with the oile of thy grace Cause vs to hate leaue our sinnes and to warre with all our lusts Draw vs and we will run after thee conuert vs we shall be conuerted Incline our hearts vnto thy testimonies and keepe vs in thy feare Teach vs O Lord to number our daies that we may apply our hearts vnto wisedom Thou art our creatour forsake not the worke of thine hands Cause the light of thy countenance to shine vpon vs and let thy tender mercies come vnto vs. Direct our steps in thy word stay vs and we shall be safe Leaue vs not vnto our selues but susteine vs by thy grace Prosper the works of our hands and giue successe vnto our labours Let our going out and coming in be blessed and cause thine Angels to protect vs. Thou art our Father prouide thou for vs and preserue vs. Thou hast wedded vs vnto thy selfe as an Husband suffer vs not to goe an whoring from thee Thou hast bene beneficial to vs thou hast giuen vs thy Gospell thou hast sent vs thy Prophets thou hast honored vs with peace and prosperity and hast giuen vs great deliuerances our health our friends our liberty all our being and well being all that we haue euen all is of thee thou giuest vs our rest in the night thou makest vs sleepe in safety and renewest thy mercies to vs in the morning infinite is thy loue innumerable are thy fauours toward vs we beseech thee therefore O Lord giue vs thankfull hearts vnto thy Maiesty Open thou our lips that our mouths may shew forth thy praise grant vs grace to dedicate our selues vnto thee Blesse we pray thee thy holy Church and be good vnto thy people Giue not the soule of thy Turtle done vnto the Beast Be fauourable vnto Sion and build the wals of Ierusalem Increase thy kingdome destroy thine enimes Blesse thy seruant Iames our noble king find out his enimies set thy selfe against them and make his crowne to flourish on his head Be mercifull we beseech thee to all other States amongst vs giue eare to the cry of thy Saints not to the cry of our sins Grant O Lord that we may all of vs serue thee in the vnity of faith with vnanimity of spirit that so glorifying thy name in this world we may be glorified of thee for euer in the world to come Heare vs O Lord we beseech thee and grant vs these our requests for the merits of Iesus Christ alone vnto whom with thee and the holy Ghost be rendred all honour praise and power this day and for euer Euening prayer for the Family GRatious God and mercifull Father in Iesus Christ we do here bow downe the knees of our soules and bodies in thy presence offering vp this our Euening sacrifice of praise praier vnto thee giuing thee vnfeigned thanks for all thy fauours towards vs for electing vs vnto eternall life for creating vs according to thine image for redeeming vs by the bloud of thy Son for sanctifying vs by thine holy Spirit for our health peace and liberty for clothing and feeding vs for protecting and prospering of vs this present day and for that great and admirable deliuerance vouchsafed to this whole State and kingdom from that barbarous and bloudy confusion plotted almost performed by the wicked the children of Babel thy name O Lord be praised for these and all other thy mercies Forgiue vs we beseech thee our great vnthankfulnesse and all the rest of our sins our ignorances wilfulnesses negligences presumptions all other our transgressions rebellions O Lord forgiue them all vnto vs for Iesus Christ his sake Wash them al away in his bloud naile them fast vnto his crosse bury thē in his graue Cloth vs we pray thee with his robes and honour vs with thy Spirit Worke in vs godly sorrow and remorsefull spirits Mortify our sinfull lusts and adorne vs